Piper J5A accident near Kotzebue, Alaska, July 23, 2004
On July 23, 2004 at about 5:07 am local time, a Piper J5A, registered N2364, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kotzebue, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent use of the airplane's brakes during the takeoff roll, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2004 · about 5:07 am local time
- Place
- Kotzebue, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N2364 · no longer on the register · serial 5-844
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo private pilot reported that the intended purpose of the flight was to accomplish several touch-and-go landings. As he began his initial takeoff roll, the airplane began to veer slightly to the left of the runway centerline. He said that in an attempt to correct the veer, he applied a slight amount of right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left of the runway centerline. When he applied additional pressure to the right rudder pedal in an attempt to correct the veer, the right main wheel brake "locked up" and the airplane subsequently nosed over. He reported that after the accident he discovered that he had inadvertently been depressing the brake pedal with the heel of his shoe. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 139 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 92 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 8, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OTZ Kotzebue AK
- Destination: OTZ Kotzebue AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 5:07 am from OTZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N2364 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.